Learning the Hard Way
by smartkid37
Summary: Being new at parenting makes any crisis no matter how big or small, daunting. A forgotten promise makes it harder. When Ducky and Gibbs offer firm reminders, Tim learns a valuable lesson he won't soon forget. Part 3 of the "Christopher Chronicles" Will make much more sense if you read those first.


_**A very Special Thanks goes out to Shelbylou and Gottahavemyncis  
- without whom this would not have turned out near as well.**_

_This is the 3rd story in the 'Christopher's Chronicles' Series._  
_The other stories in this series are (in chronological order):_

_1. "For the Love of Christopher"  
2."Exposed Roots"_

* * *

_April 17, 2009_

Pacing back and forth in the front hallway, Tim tried desperately to placate his small, normally happy son. The little, perfect bundle of joy had been screaming and miserable all night and even now, continued to wriggle restlessly against his shoulder. Despite all his fears about his son, he hadn't wanted to wake up anyone he knew, and tried to go it alone when soothing his son. No matter how hard Tim tried, nothing calmed him down and after a sleepless night, panic rose inside the struggling father's chest.

While being a father was relatively new to him, he had done what he could to prepare to take on the role, even taking parenting classes before being granted custody of histhen six-month-old son. Nothing, however, had prepared him for this. He'd been able, until now, to fall back on the help of his teammates and his mother who had moved in next door. However, this time was different as it was the early morning and his mother was unavailable. _Why oh why, had his mother chosen this weekend to go away with his sister to try to mend the rift __their father's abandonment of the family had created just a few weeks ago?_

With a silent prayer for help, Tim readjusted his hold on Christopher, the movement eliciting another baleful wail from the very unhappy baby. Hearing and seeing his son in so much discomfort brought tears to Tim's eyes. He didn't understand or have the expertise when it came to this; he simply didn't have a clue. So far, everything had been smooth sailing and he knew how to comfort and soothe the baby under normal conditions, but this…this just scared him. Glancing at the clock on the wall over the stove, he noted that they had made it to eight in the morning.

He could not wait any longer; he had tried and failed and now it was time to call in the big guns. Reluctantly, he gently laid Christopher down in the portable baby seat he kept on the spacious kitchen counter; took out his cell phone and hit the speed dial for the person from whom he desperately needed to seek advice. After putting the phone on speaker, he set it down on the counter. While he waited for the now ringing phone to be answered, Tim wasted no more time in scooping up the now howling baby and cradling him once more to his chest, crooning to him for what had to be the 100th time since the beginning of the previous night's battle to calm Christopher..

"_Hello?"_

"Ducky!" Tim couldn't keep the relief out of his voice.

"_Timothy? Oh, dear, I hear poor Christopher is an unhappy fellow this morning. Is he alright?"_

"That's actually why I'm calling, Ducky. He's been screaming all night! I'm really worried that something's wrong with him and I couldn't put him down without him screaming louder. I was going to take him to the ER, but I just couldn't leave him to scream while I drove there. I'm sorry to bother you so early but Mom's gone out of town and I ju…" Tim ranted desperately in a bid to make Ducky understand.

"_Timothy. Calm down. I shall be there shortly and I'll take a look at our little man No doubt it is just colic, but it will not do any harm to check. Do try to remember that the baby can feel your stress as well, so in order to try and soothe him, you must calm down yourself."_

"Okay." Tim breathed out. "Okay, I can do that."

"_Now, tell me, does he have a fever?"_

Tim frowned and gently kissed his son's forehead to check. "He feels a bit warm but that could be from the screaming he's been doing. Every time I put him down to take his romper off, he screams bloody murder so I haven't been able to check with the thermometer."

Tim frowned at the small chuckle at the other end of the phone_. "Timothy, if you remember, when you asked me about which thermometer you'd need, I suggested one that isn't used rectally or under the arm. It's one that you gently use in the ear. Never mind, I shall be there shortly and another few minutes won't make a difference. Remember, dear boy. Stay calm."_

"Thank you so much Ducky." Tim replied with a sigh." I really appreciate you coming over so early."

"_Anytime, Timothy. I told you when you first announced the arrival of young Christopher into your life to call me anytime you needed my help... That invitation also wholeheartedly included the __**very**__ early hours in the event the need, such as this, should arise. So once we've discovered what the wee bairn's problem is, we shall address the issue of why you waited this long." _

"Thanks, Ducky." Tim replied and ended the call. He left the phone open on the counter and returned his full attention to Christopher who seemed to have calmed down slightly.

As he gazed into the sweet angelic face of his precious little boy, he smiled wanly and used the pads of his fingers to wipe away the baby's tears. "What's going on with you, little one? Is it the sound of my voice talking to someone that soothes you? You know, I've been talking to you all night and you haven't calmed down. I'm sorry. I'm so new at this and I don't know what to do for you. It'll get better. I promise. I'm working on figuring everything out, just give me time, Okay?" Feeling his overwrought emotions rise up within him once more, Tim gently hugged his son to him a little tighter.

Christopher gazed up at his father and started to whimper once again. With a sigh, Tim started to walk round the living room to try halt the fresh bout of tears sure to follow. Soon enough, the sleepless night bore down on him and he felt the tiredness take a firmer hold on him a little more with every step, even with the beginning of another round of woeful cries and restless squirming from the precious bundle in his arms.

*****NCIS*****

Ducky pulled up to Tim's place and grabbed his bag. Even though he was an M.E., he still carried around the tricks of the trade for a doctor and had recently renewed and added to the kit to deal with the problems a baby might come across. He locked his beloved old Morgan and made his way to the house, stopping briefly as the tormented cries filtered through the walls into the outside world.

"Oh Christopher, you are not a happy little boy." Ducky sighed to himself and made his way inside.

Tim turned towards the M.E. as the older man stepped into the room and shook his head sadly.

"Ducky, I don't know what to do. He stopped for a bit, but…"

"But soon started again." Ducky answered knowingly. "Please, let's go and sit on the sofa and I'll take a look at him. I have to say, Timothy, you look exhausted."

"I am."

"Which leads us back onto the reason why you didn't call me much sooner. Honestly, Timothy, one day you will all learn the merits of assistance and accept it when offered." Ducky tutted and sat down next to Tim. "Now you, young man, can be heard as far away as the street. Shall we take a look at you and see if we can find what is making you so miserable and work to make you more comfortable."

As Ducky went about stripping Christopher down to his diaper and taking his temperature, Tim felt his eyes droop and let his head fall back against the sofa. Soon enough, his son seemed to calm down enough in Ducky's care, that sleep quickly capturedthe exhausted father.

"Well, young man. It seems your Daddy needed some sleep." Ducky lifted the small boy and smiled as he rubbed a teething gel on Christopher's gums. He didn't usually like using the soothing gels for teething infants, but given the circumstances, right now it was the quickest fix and the only way to calm the little one who was also in need of a good sleep.

"Ahh, there you go, little one. Come on, let's go and make some tea and I'll see what I can find to help soothe those gums. I'm sure my old mother's remedy will work."

He stood up, carrying Christopher into the kitchen and found himself smiling at the sight of the baby seat on the counter. "Ah, yes, I'd imagine being seated up there leaves much to be desired, doesn't it my little friend? With all of the grownups in your life crossing your vision at a completely different height, it must truly be confusing for you. Well, don't you worry. You and I will not be in need of using that this morning." Ducky smiled down lovingly at the now blissfully quiet baby, catching Christopher's eyes and holding his gaze steady. "So long as you are quiet enough that your father can rest, you and I shall make do with this arrangement."

Opening the drawer where Tim kept the clean tea towels, Ducky smiled softly. They would work wonderfully. Turning on the faucet, he wet a towel before placing it in the freezer for ten minutes. Unfortunately, ten minutes was too long for the ailing baby to wait and even with Ducky's attentive ministrations, the baby was soon screaming the house down once again, rousing Tim who walked groggily into the kitchen.

"I apologize, Timothy. I was hoping he would settle enough until I could help."

"It's alright." Tim smiled warmly at his son when Christopher leaned over towards him. "I'll go and sit on the sofa with him…" he paused briefly and frowned. "Until you could help? You know what's wrong with him?"

Ducky chuckled. "Yes, he's teething. Nothing more than sore gums and possibly a little bit of colic."

"He wasn't like this when he cut his first tooth right after I got him." Tim frowned. "He was cranky and a little bit warm but…huh, come to think of it, I went through so many shirts because he drooled on them. This is different though."

"It'll be the colic and he may have more than one coming through. It isn't a recipe for a happy baby I'm afraid."

Tim sighed tiredly and nodded. "I can vouch for that."

"Why don't you go sit down with him? Just keep doing what you were doing before because believe it or not, that was the best for him. My mother used to put a wet towel in the freezer for ten minutes so that the baby can suck or chew on a corner. The coolness worked though you have to be careful not to freeze it. Just make it cold enough to numb the pain." Ducky handed the cooled, moist towel to Tim.

"It really worked?" Tim asked with hope.

"It seemed too. She was a shrewd old lady and despite the dementia, always seemed to know what to do, God rest her soul."

Tim nodded and walked back to the living room carrying his precious cargo. With a tired sigh, he gently settled back down on the couch. This time, however, the craving to lay back with Christopher on his chest was too great. As his head hit the back of the couch and he got the baby situated with the wet towel, Tim couldn't resist the urge to close his eyes for a minute.

*****NCIS*****

"Saw your car, Duck. Everything alright?" Gibbs asked as he came in through the kitchen door and found his friend sitting at the kitchen counter with a cup of hot tea. He'd been expecting to hear from the man by now, since he'd seen Ducky's car in Tim's driveway for well over an hour now. The fact that the M.E. hadn't left or contacted him to read him in yet had caused the worry to rise within him; bringing him over to find out what was wrong.

"Yes, Jethro, it seems to be now. However, it certainly hasn't been a good night for our McGee household." Ducky replied from where he sat, his eyes only briefly leaving the two sleeping figures on the couch. As he glanced at his friend for that moment, he took in the concern that was evident in the lines around Jethro's eyes. With a small smile, Ducky looked back to the occupants of the other room.

"That why Tim looks like hell?" The Team Leader's eyes followed Ducky's gaze; the very gaze that remained locked on his agent in the next room. He frowned when he took in the signs of bone deep exhaustion on his young Agent's face, even as the young man slept.

"Yes." His friend's answer was short and to the point.

"What happened?"

"Why don't you sit down, Jethro? I'll fix you a cup of coffee and fill you in." Ducky offered and walked over to the coffee maker.

"Thanks, Duck."

"You're welcome, my friend.. Apparently, this all started…."

_*****NCIS*****_

Tim finally stirred from his position on the couch, being careful to put a little more weight on the hand that had been holding his son in place on his chest. Panic shot through him as the realization the space where his son had been under that hand was now empty, seared his brain with a silent scream of alarm. He shot up of the couch to look around for his little one. As he tried to shake of the last vestiges of sleep, he felt his heart race momentarily until his foggy mind kicked in and he remembered Ducky. In all likelihood, the wise older man had probably moved Christopher to his crib in the next room so that father and child could sleep more comfortably.

Rubbing at his eyes and blinking a few times to make them focus before stretching to loosen the kinks out of his muscles, Tim walked slowly to the next room to check on his baby. As he reached the room, he stopped dead in his tracks and couldn't help but smile at the sight in front of him. Sitting in the rocking chair next to the portable crib, holding Christopher as he slept, was none other than the baby's other Honorary Grandfather, Gibbs.

Seeing the normally tough as nails older man gently rocking in the rocking chair with Christopher sleeping peacefully in his arms was a sight to behold and one that Tim always found very comforting.

Spying Tim in the hallway just outside the doorway, Gibbs gently stood from the chair, and eased the baby down into the crib. Soothingly running his hand down the little tyke's back for a silent minute, the boss made sure Christopher stayed asleep before turning to join his agent out in the hallway.

Drawing him back away from the room and towards the kitchen with just an inclined motion of his head, Gibbs led the way, wanting to have this conversation now and not where it would disturb the exhausted baby. Once they reached the kitchen, the older man headed straight for the coffee maker, pointing toward the stool at the counter. "Sit."

Tim took a seat, still too speechless about the boss being in his house taking care of his baby while he slept to say anything at all. He wasn't surprised that in almost no time, the Team Leader had set a cup of fresh hot coffee down in front of him. "Drink up."

Once again, Tim silently obeyed the order he'd been given as he still felt the lingering effects of the exhaustion that had claimed him earlier. Tiredly, he wiped his free hand over his eyes once more in hopes of clearing the lingering haze but his attention was soon caught by the sight of Gibbs sitting down at the stool across the counter with an unhappy glare aimed in Tim's direction as he practically growled at him. "Thought we had an understanding?"

Tim took a moment to wrack his sluggish mind for the memory he needed so he would be on the same page as Gibbs. It didn't take long for him to remember that conversation; and remorse and embarrassment filled him once he made the connection; the exact conversation repeateditself quite clearly in his head making him cringe unhappily.

"_Just don't try to shoulder this alone. You need help with something, you'd better ask. I find out you didn't and you'll be dealing with me about it."_

_"I promise to ask for help when I need it. Don't worry. I know I can't do it by myself, Boss."_

"I didn't want to disturb anyone." Tim answered defensively.

"That's bull and you know it. Damn it, McGee, I live across the damn street!" Gibbs growled. "Look, we agreed that if you needed help, you'd ask! That meant no matter the time of day or night! You know my door's always open!"

Tim nodded and looked down towards his mug. "I'd usually call my mom but she's out of town with Sarah and…"

"And what? You needed help and instead you let that boy scream all night. I talked to Ducky and he said you were considering taking him to the ER. Why didn't you? What if something had been seriously wrong with him?"

"He would have had a fever and been warm enough I would have known the difference, Boss. I remember that from everything you guys told me and from the parenting classes. But he wasn't." Tim defended strongly. "It's a good thing I didn't go to the hospital because I would have been laughed out of the building or worse, accused of having done something to him! Not to mention he would have been screaming worse the whole way there and back. He was only half as upset while I held him, Boss!"

"Which is why you should have called me!" Gibbs angrily told him, his eyes nearly snapping with the heat of it. "I can understand you not wanting to call Ducky in the middle of the night, but, damn it, Tim, you should have at least called me! As upset as Ducky was about this, you can be sure he'll tell you not to even think that way again! You have a health concern with Christopher you call him! Or me! "

Tim sighed heavily and stood up with frustration rising within him. "Yeah, thanks Boss. I know I screwed up alright? I know I'm not cut out for this. Maybe Christopher would have been better off with that other family, because right now, you're just confirming my views that I'm a crappy father." He stormed out of the kitchen and out the back door to calm down in the back garden. Gibbs frowned and followed Tim out; issuing a hard head slap once he reached his agent.

"OW!" Tim hissed. "What …?"

"You had that one coming." Gibbs replied succinctly and opened the door so that they could hear Christopher. "Ducky got called back to NCIS, so we're gonna use the time to talk."

"What about, Boss? I screwed up. Not much else to say." Tim admitted miserably.

Gibbs chuckled. "You think you're the only parent to make a bad decision in the middle of a stressful situation? Well you're not. You're going through what all first time parents go through. Hell, the first night Shannon went out with her friends after Kelly was born, I must have called her a hundred times because Kelly was just like Christopher was last night."

"What was wrong with her?" Tim asked softly knowing that the painful subject of Gibbs' lost family wasn't one he bought up often.

"Teething. She cut four teeth at the same time and was miserable as sin. Shannon came home, did exactly what Ducky did with that little boy of yours and managed to get her calmed down better than I did. She found it funny at the time and I learned something new that night."

"How to calm a baby?" Tim asked with a touch of sarcasm.

"Yeah, and to ask for damn help when I needed it." Gibbs responded dryly. Tim flushed with shame at the message he got loud and clear.

"I'm sorry, Boss."

"Don't apologise…"

"Sign of weakness." Tim finished.

"Yeah, that and it's not needed. You're not a bad father, Tim but you are still learnin'. Take it a day at a time and get it through that thick skull of yours that help doesn't just come in the form of your mom and sister. We're your family too, ya know."

"Thanks, Boss. I appreciate it."

Gibbs huffed and shook his head. "You would have appreciated it more last night. You look like hell."

"I feel it." Tim confirmed with a rueful smile. "Hopefully he'll sleep for a while so I can nap while he does."

Gibbs nodded. "So, you still feel like a failure?"

"Yeah." Tim admitted. That wasn't something that would go away quickly and his exhausted state just exacerbated those feelings.

"Don't. You're new to this and were denied a big part of his early life. We make mistakes, we learn from them. That kid loves you already, Tim. What's more, he trusts you. I've seen him lean towards you when someone else is holding him. He wants his Daddy. You're his security and to him, you're all that matters. Remember that. You'll make mistakes, hell, you'll make some doozies like last night, but you're doing alright here."

Tim narrowed his eyes and sighed. "I'm trying, Boss. I really am, but last night…"

"You won't make the same mistake again, McGee. That's the important lesson here. Next time, call someone to help. We all know emergencies happen at all hours of the day or night." Gibbs took a long sip of his coffee and watched Tim as the young man struggled with exhaustion. "You're not gonna do that kid any good when you're dead on your feet."

"He won't sleep for long." Tim replied softly.

"Nope. But you will. Go on up to bed and I'll look after the tyke while you rest. We're not on call and have no active cases anyways. I was just gonna work on the boat."

"Boss, I can't ask you to babysit while I sleep."

"You're not askin'. I'm exercising my rights as his grandfather. Now go!" Gibbs ordered and glared at Tim when he saw the hesitation in his young agent's eyes. "Just do one thing before you turn in and grab him some clothes. I'm gonna take him out for a while and don't wanna waste time going back home to get his diaper bag"

"Where to?" Tim asked as his curiosity got the better of him. Even though he knew Christopher would be safe with Gibbs, he didn't like not knowing where his son was going to be.

"Gonna go run some errands and then we're gonna go spend some time at the park. Might even feed the ducks."

Tim chuckled softly. "You sure?"

"Even now you're being stubborn…McGee, you need sleep and I wanna spend some time with Christopher. This way, everyone wins so go pack him a diaper bag and bring it to me, then go to bed!"

Tim nodded through a yawn and blushed. "Thanks, Boss. You're right; I'm no good to him being this tired."

"Damn straight."

Tim started making his way inside, but paused at the door and turned towards Gibbs. "Boss, thank you. For everything."

"You're welcome, McGee."

With a tired smile, Tim made his way indoors to get Christopher's stuff together. It wasn't long before he was seeing his son off – cold blanket in tow – so he could get the rest that he so desperately needed. Truthfully, having that talk with Gibbs had done him the world of good. Right now, between that and the help and wisdom from Ducky; his support system had been reaffirmed.

With a soft smile, he realized both he and Christopher were going to be okay.

**************NCIS*****************


End file.
